Volunteer with The Whitechapel Mission

We want volunteering at Whitechapel to be fun, rewarding and challenging. The skills, opinions and experiences of each volunteer are valued and we want them to be an integral part of the organization.

Volunteers can come in small or large groups (and occasionally as an individual). Many work together in the city or in Canary Wharf, and choose to assist within the Mission before going on to work each day.

"Thanks for the photos and a massive thank-you to you and all the staff at the Whitechapel Mission, (especially Michelle who is amazing!!!) , for allowing me and my fellow colleagues to participate this morning. What you do for these disadvantaged people is truly humbling and I have nothing but admiration for you all!!! It was a really enjoyable experience and a great opportunity to help someone less fortunate than myself. I will remember this for ever and hopefully I can come back soon." - Mark

If you decide you would like to volunteer with us and book a date, then we would expect you to show up. Of course, there may always be very good reasons which may force you to cancel, but we do need a high level of commitment once agreeing to volunteer. Failing to show is likely to result in us not being able to accept another request to volunteer.

The Whitechapel Mission began in 1876 and much of our work would never have been possible without the support of thousands of volunteers. Today, volunteers play a crucial role, working with homeless people, providing essential administrative support or raising much-needed funds.

We thank the 4,615 volunteers who have supported the Whitechapel Mission this year with over 27,690 hours.

Volunteering Diary

Our volunteer diary can be viewed on-line, and challenge days can even be booked on-line.

For those that would prefer to talk to a member of staff, please contact Jenny on 03000 111 400, or email us.

Breakfast Challenge

The Whitechapel Mission breakfast challenge is currently the most popular form of volunteering at Whitechapel. After preparing and cooking breakfast for as many as 300 people, these breakfasts then need to be served. Served to people who are, in the main, very grateful for your efforts and may have not eaten since yesterdays breakfast. A very rewarding experience and an opportunity to meet people from the streets in a positive and meaningful way.

Lifeskills Challenge

All citizens require life skills to successfully function in the world today. Because life skills are not hereditary, they must be taught.

Experience has shown us that there are some homeless people who live a recurring pattern of street sleeping, hostel living and then into a flat, only to start the circle again six months later. Many of these individuals simply do not have the skill set to sustain a tenancy. We hope to break this recurring pattern by introducing the basic life skills required to keep people in a tenancy.

Christmas Challenge

For 14 days during Christmas, as well as at other times of the year, we hand over the work of the Mission to volunteer groups. These groups are made up of no less than 4 and no more than 8 people and they are responsible for ensuring the continued services of the Mission. We supply one member of staff to supervise/assist. The Centre opens at 6am and closes at 11am each day. You will be required to be on-site by 5:45 latest. We do have a car park available for your vehicles.

Deep Clean

With the Mission being open every day of the year we struggle to keep the very high standards of cleanliness and hygiene needed in our kitchens. Of course everyday ends with a thorough clean, but it needs more.

On a regular basis we need to strip everything out of the kitchen, leaving just bare walls and ceiling and then to even take them down, clean it all and put it back.

5000 Club

We acknowledges and offer a special thank you to those partners and supporters, who have backed their giving of gifts and volunteering with a donation of £5000 or more each year. It is only with this commitment that our work may continue.

These companies get unlimited and priority access to the volunteers diary months ahead of others organizations.

Volunteer Guidelines

Woman's Services

With as many as 300 men using our services each day, it can be very intimidating for an individual woman walking through our doors, looking for services.Having a "Women's Centre" helps solve this problem and this service attracts women of different ages, cultures, needs and social backgrounds.

Gift Sorting

During certain times of the year (especially Harvest and Christmas) we are glad to receive a mountain of non-perishable food, clothing and gifts. These items need to be sorted and stored, ready for distribution. Some will need to be put on shelves, ready for our use. We are looking for teams of people who can sort, check dates and look for damage on donations.

Clothing Challenge

At least 75 people a day use our shower facilities and each and every one of them is looking for a change of clothing. Many others are trying to build a wardrobe of clothing as they attempt to rebuild their lives. As a result there is a constant need for clothing to be sorted, measured and sized and hung, ready for distribution. This is a task that can be carried out at any time of the day and many volunteers will choose to arrive later in the morning and stay longer.

Although our other challenges are restricted by the times the daycentre is open, the clothing challenge is not.

Since 1876, The Whitechapel Mission has been called to serve the men and women caught in the cycles of poverty, hopelessnessand dependencies of many kinds, and to see their lives transformed to hope, joy and lasting productivity.